Doubling machine



July 14, 1925. 1,546,039

L. C. STEELE DOUBLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l i}, INVENTgR a, M Aw, OM

July 14, -1 925 L. C. STEELE DOUBLING' MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES,

1,546,039 PATENT OFLFIICE.

LAwEENcE o. sTEELE, OF PITTSBURGH, rEmNsYLvANIA.

noUELINo MACHINE.

Application filed November 22, 1922. Serial No. 602,573.

' lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to machines and methods for doubling sheets of metal or other material, and it is designed particularly, although not exclusively, for doubling metal sheets during the process of rolling such sheets in packs. One object of my invention is to provide an effective method of doubling metal sheets or packs of sheets by forming-an initial bend or 'fold in the sheets, and then compressing this initial fold.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved doubling machine of simple and rugged construction, which shall quickly and accurately double sheets or packs of sheets with a minimum of manual labor and at low cost.

My improved machine consists, in general, of two oscillatingcrimping members arranged adjacent to each other and having cooperating working surfaces, together with a bending member arranged to engage the sheets along the line of doubling when the sheets are brought to the crimping members, and then to force the sheets between the crimping members and to give the sheets an initial bend along the line of doubling. The advancing movement of the bender acts through the sheets to rock the crimping members upon their pivots so as to produce an opening through which the bender pushes the bent or folded portion of the sheets. Thereupon the bender is withdrawn from between the doubling members and the crimping members are then rocked in the re verse direction upon their pivots, thus engaging the sheets between the working surfaces of the crimping members and compressing the fold initially made by the bender along the line of doubling.

Other novel featuresof my invention'relate to the manner in which the crimping members are oscillated in response to movement of the bending member, the manner in which the bending member is constructed and operated, and the manner in which the superposed sheets are brought into proper position with relation to the crimping members and to each other.

In the embodiment of my invention here selected for illustration, the crimping members are arranged'to rock on vertical axes and the bending member is pivotally mounted upon a slide which is reciprocated horizontally and which operates horizontal racks engaging pinions carried by the crimping members. It will be understood, however, that this particular arrangement of parts, while desirable, is not indispensable, and that, if-desired, the axes of the crimp- I ing members may be otherwise than vertical,

with corresponding changes in the position of the bender slide, and in the other op- 4 crating mechanism.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the same machine, the section being taken substantially on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, and the bender being shown in its horizontal osition; Fig. 3 is another vertical sectional view, similar to a portion of Fig. 2, showing the rocking movement of the bender;

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan views showing other positions of the operating parts; Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the bender, bender slide and rack slide; Figs."

7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic plan views illustrating'three successive states in the doubling operation; and Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of a modified pair of crimping members. p

In the drawin the numeral 2 indicates a suitable base or ed plate and the numeral 3 indicatesa doubling table which is mounted a suitable distance above the bed plate 2 to provide room. for the operating mechanism. The upper surface of the doubling table 3 is preferably flush with'the fioor line, for convenience in placing sheets or packs upon the doubling table and removing the doubled sheets therefrom. The parts of the machine which engage and double the sheets are a knife-like bender 6 and two crimping members 7 The bender 6 is mounted upon a pivot pin 8 which ex tends across a slot 9 formed in a reciprocating bender slide 10, to one end of which is crank disk 13 driven from any suitable source of power, preferably through a kick out clutch mechanism which will be'described below. I

The bender 6 includes a blade 16 and an enlarged tail portion 17 which acts as a counterweight, and tends to hold the blade 16 in horizontal position. The bender is provided with two shoulders 18 and 19 on opposite sides of the pivot. pin 8, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The shoulder 18 limits the swinging movement of the bender to thepo'sition where the blade is vertical, and the other shoulder 19'limits the downward movement of'the blade to the position where this blade is horizontal. Adjacent to the shoulder'19 the bender has a straight surface20 which acts as a'cam to raise the i bender member to its vertical position when the slide 10 is moved'toward the crimping members. On the edge of the tailfportior 17 opposite to thestraight surface 20 is a shoulder 21 which is employed to actuate the rack slide and the crimpers during the final doubling operation.

Upon the bed 'plate2'is a slotted ide member 25 for the bender slide 10', an I also a pair of guide ribs 26 which are arranged in line with the guide member 25 and are wider apart than the sides of the guide. member 25. A groove 26", Fig. 6, is formed in the bed plate2 between the guide ribs. 261 for the-purpose of guiding the lower edge of the bender when. the bender is upright. Between the guide ribs 26 is slidably mounted a channeled rack slide 27 having racks 2-8 formed in ,ors'ecured to its opposite sides,

' and having a space 29 between the racks of proper width to slidably receive the bender slide 10. The bender slide 10 ests in e guide member 25 and in the chalmeled' rack slide 27. A slot 30 is formedinthe bottom of the rack slide 27 and another and shorter slot 31 is formed in the bed' plate 2' immediai'i ately beneath the slot 30. The weighted tail portion 17 of the bending member '6'extends through the slots .30 and 31 when the bender, blade is-in its horizontal position, Fig.2, and jwhe'nthe slide 10 .is moved-toward the crimping members 7 the cam portion. 0 of the bender'engages thev rounded end' 3 of the 'slot 31 inthe base plate 2, and as the slide 10 advances farther the cam portion 20 ra ises thebender blade to its vertical position. I

One. end of the channeledrack slide 27 move the rack slide to the right, as shown- J position when the end of this slide is caused to project beyond I the guides 26 during the first doubhng operation. The springs 35- and 36 thus act as centering springs tending 4 alinement and their edges are usually more to keep the rack slide 27 in its normal position, at which time the bender 6 is horizontal and the crimpers 7 are in. the starting what longer than. is required for engaging and crimping the sheets. Since only a portionfof the working surfaces'41are brought I into actual contact with the work, these surfaces may be much reduced, as shown for example at 41 in. Fig. 10, in which case the I crimping members are wedge shaped in cross-section. The lower end of each crimping member is reduced in diameter to form a neck 43 to which is secured a pinion 44. As shown, the pinion 44 is secured in place by means of a collar 45 carried by a pivot pin 46 projecting from the neck 43. The

collar 45 and the pin 46 fit within bearing recesses formed inthe base plate 2. The

guide ribs 26 are cut away, as shown at 48,

to admit the pinion's 44 into-engagement with the-teeth the racks 28 of the rackslide 27.

The upper ends of the crimping members 7 are provided with pivot pins 50 which. extend through openings in a transverse arm 52 which-is carried at the upper ends of vertical standards 53 which rise from the base plate 2.

When packs of sheets are brought to the doubler,-the sheets are frequently out ofor'less ragged. For/the purpose of match-1 ing-the'sheets and raising them upon their edges in front of the crimping members,I provide two pairs of gage arms 55 ,and 56.

The arms 55 lift he sheets to an edgewisev vertical'position in front of the crimping members, where the sheets arrange themselves vertically by gravity, and then the gages 56 move. horizontally inward and alignithe sheets horizontally as nearly as possible. Both sets of gages are operated from a horizontal shaft 57 mounted in bearings' 58 in the bed plate 2". The-gages 55 which raise'the sheets to vertical position normall restin grooves 59 in the surface of the oublin' table, 'and'are extended beneath the "dou 1 in table 3 through openings 60, Fig.1. -l elow the doubling table each of the gage arms 55 is bent to form a ivot section 61 which. is received in a bearmg 62, the endof this pivot section beyond the bearing 62 being bent downward to form a crank 63. Connecting rods 65 connect the' cranks 63 with-cranks 66 carried by the horizontal operating shaft 57 to which is also secured an operating lever 67 cranks and connecting rod connected. together to "move in the proper or other suitable operating means, which may be operated either manually or by power. j The side age arms 56 are carried by ver- 1 tical shafts which are loosely mounted ing fixed bearings,-and which-carry cranks'71' and 72 joined by a. connectin rod 73, the

being so arranged that when one of the vertical shafts 70 is rocked the other shaft will rock equally andin the, opposite direction. One of the shafts 70 is provided with a second crank 74- joined by a connecting rod 7 'to an o crating lever 76 which 1s mounted loose y on the. shaft 57. e operating levers 67 and f7 6 may be either hand levers,treadles or power-operated cranks, and may suitably be sequence. I

The machine is preferably arranged to stop after making one complete cycle of operations, and forthis purpose thecrank disk 13 is madeto stop after completing one full revolution. One method by which this may be done is shown inFigs. 1 and 2, where y the crank disk 13 "is shown mounted on .a

short vertical shaft 80 which carries a bevel gear 81 driven by a similar bevel gear 82 on a horizontal shaft 83 which ismounted in bearings 84 beneath the bed'plate 2, and

which. carries a kick-out clutch mechanism.

I shown in Fig. 1; This clutch mechanism conslsts of a toothedclutchmember '85 which is loosely mounted on the shaftv 83' "I and a movable clutch member 86 which is i ly secured to, a gear whee 20 slidably keyed upon the shaft 83. The clutch member is formed integral with, 01" rigid- -87which is loose- 1y mounted-on the shaft 83 and driven continuously by means of any snitable power.

connections, not shown. A spring 88 is compressed between the sliding clutch mem:- ber 86 and a collar 89 on the shaftv 83, and tends to forcethe clutch member. 86 into engagement with the clutch member 85. The sliding clutch member 86 carries a cam member'90 which 'isengaged by a pin 9? .93 to which the pin 91 issecured.

that extends through astationary bracket 92"ai1d is normall forced down'into' the path of. the cam 9 by the weight ofan arm ,The arm. '93 iscarriedby a pivot pin 94- mounted on the bracket 92, and the ljVOt pin 94 is provided with an'operatin ever 95 which mayt'be a, treadle or a hen lever,

and which, when depressed by theoperator, acts through the arm 93 toraise the pin 91 from the path of the cam 90. The spring 88 then forces "the member 86 into-engage ment "with" the constantly rotating 0 utch member-85, thereby causin theshaft 83 to rotate with the gear whee .87. The crank;

disk 1 3is time set in vmotion and operates the various mechanisms described above.

plete revolution and then stops.

As the shaft 83 nears the end of its rotation I duces one complete rotation of the crank disk 13, so that the machine always starts and stops with the parts in thesame position, which is shown in Fig. 4, and in which the sheet-receiving surfaces 42 of the crimp-' ing members 7 are in their aligned position.

At the beginning of the o eration of the machine, the-crimping mem rs 7, as just stated, are arranged with their straight surfaces in line with each other, as shown on Fig. 4, forming a vertical. wall'to receive the sheets to be doubled. The bender 6 is;

in its horizontal positionythe gauge arms 55 are in their groovesv59, below or fiusln with the surface of the doubling table, and

the gauge arms 56 are opened. The sheet or ack of sheets is brought to the doubling ta e and (laid flat upon the table near the crimpin members. The lever 67 is. then operate to raise the gauges 55, thus bringing the sheets to vertical position, as sho Wn' at A, Fig. 7, where they rearrange themselves vertically by gravity if they are not 1' 00 Y already. correctly matched. Then thelever' 76 is operated to close the gauge arms 56 upon the side edges of the sheets so as to align the sheets horizontally 'When the sheets are in proper vertical position in' front of the crimping members, the operator depresses the treadle'or hand-lever 95,

thereby releasing the clutch member 86 in "the manner described above and settingthe crank disk- 13 in rotation, which causes the bender slide .10 to advance toward the crimping" members. As the slide 10 ad vances, thecam surface 20' of the bender engages the rounded end 33 .of the slot .31 in the'bed plate, thus raising the blade of the be iderto the vertical position shown in dot ed lines, Fig. 3. With the blade in Q this vertical position, the bendeilapproaches engages the sheets as shown in-Fig. 7, an the sheets along the'vertical line of doubling. The sheets are thus clamped between the flat faces 42"of the crimping members and the vertical blade, of the bender. The bender continues to advance between the crimping members. and this continual movement of the bender forces the sheets to bend along the line of doubling and forces the. bent portion B of the sheets betweenand beyond the crimping members. This actiom of the bender and the sheets causes the crimping 30 members to'rotate upon their axes, giving a space between the crimping members into which the fold B in the sheets is forced by the bender' member, as shown in Fig. 8.

This rotation of the crimping members acts through the pinions 44 and the teeth of the racks 28 to advance the end of the rack slide 27 beyond the ends of the guide ribs 26. The forward end of the bender slide 10 also advances beyond the end of \the guide ribs 26', and deflects the spring 36.

The position of thevarious parts of the machine at this time is shown on'Fig. 5.

The effective radius of the crank disk 13 is such that when the benderhas passed beyond the crimping members sufliciently A to deliver the fold B i'n'the sheets well be- I so tween the-crimping members, the slide is withdrawn, carrying with it the bender 6,. which falls to its horizontal position, as soon as it reaches the registering slots 30 and 31 in "the rack slide 27 and in the bed plate 2. The continued rotation of the crank disk to the position shown in Fig. 2 brings the defendingh shoulder. 21 of the bender to the nd of t, e slot 31 in the rack slide 27 and causes the rack slide to travel rearwardly with the bender .slide 10. This where they are ready to'be removed and repla'cedt'by a new pack of sheets. The

crank disk 13 continues to rotate until it and the bender slide 10.

forth in the appended claims.

' ward; the :crimpers, and the rack slide is thenmoved by its spring 35 from the-posimakes one complete revolution and reaches the position shown in Fig. 4,- whenthe cam Q0 of the kick-out clutch withdraws the movablejclutch member 86 from the fixed- .clutch member 85 and sto s the crank'disk uring the latterpart of 'its movement, the crank disk 13 causes the bender slide to move forward totion of Figpl to the position of Fig. 4.- Tliis "movement of therack-,slide acts through the rack teeth'287and the pinions I 44 to restore the crim ers to their starting.

position, as shown in f 1 .4.

Numerous changes' -m t e construction and arrangement of parts may 'be'readily made without departing from my invention as se I claim as my invention:

' 1. In a doubling Ihine, the tombination of two cooperating pivotally mounted segmental crimping members, means for bending the sheet to be. doubled along the line of doubling and for inserting the bent fold of said sheet between and beyond said I crimping members when in retracted position, and means for o crating said crimping members to advance t em and compress said fold.

2. In a doubling machine, the combination of two cooperating crimping members,

means for bendmgthe sheet to be. doubled along the line of doubling and for inserting the bent fold of said sheet between said crimping members, and means operable by said bending means during withdrawal thereof from bending position' for operatifngdsaid crimping members to compress said 3. -In a doubling machine tion of two crimping members arranged to rock in cooperation,j means for bending the sheet to be doubled along the line of .doubling and for inserting the bent fold of said sheet between said cr mping members, and means operable .by saidbending means during withdrawing thereof from bending po'-' sitlon for rocking said crimping. members to compress said fold, f v

4. In a doubling machine, the combinetion of two segmental crimping members arranged to rock in cooperatiom-Jnans including the said crimping. members for making an initial fold in the sheet to be doubled along the line of doubling and for inserting the) bent fold of said sheet between and beyond said doubling members,

, the eombinaand means for rocking said crimpifig mem hers to compress said fold.

-5.' In a doubling machine, the combina- .-tion of two. segmentalcrimping members an ranged to rock about fixed pivots in cooperation, means includingthe said crimping members for making an initial fold 1n the sheetto be doubled along the line of doubling, means for. pivotall rocking said crimping members to admit said fold between them, and means for rocking said crimping members in reverse direction to compress said fold. i 1

6. In adoubling machine, the combination of two crimping membersv having cooperation curved working surfacesand also having flat 'sheeflrec eiving surfaces, means for engaging the sheet to. be doubled along the line of doubling while said sheet is resting a ainst said flat sheet-receiving surfaces,

and or causing-the said sheet to bend along 1 A the line ofdoublingand causing the bent fold so produced to .enter between said crimpi g membera and means 'forrockin said crimping members to compress, sai fold.

- "7. In a doubling machine, the combinav tion of two crimping members having 0- operating curved working surfaces, p mons of two crimping members having cooperat- 4 .ing the said fold between said crimping ing curved working surfaces, pinions carried by. said doubling members, racks engaging said pinions, fold-forming means for pr0- ducing an initial fold in the sheet to be doubled along the line of doubling and for forcmembers, thereby rocking said crimping members on their pivots and moving said racks lengthwise, and means actuated by said fold-forming means for moving said racks lengthwise in the reverse direction, thereby rocking said crimping members. in the reverse direct-ion upon their pivots and causing said crimping members to compress said fold. 9. In a. doubling machine, the combination of two oscillating crimping members having cooperating segmental working surfaces mova le toward and from each other and a bender movable through and beyond I the space between said crimping members when they have been moved apart.

- oscillation on parallel axes and having 00- 10. In a doubling machine, the combination of two crimping members mounted for oscillation on parallel axes and having cooperating segmental working surfaces, and a bender movable between and beyond said crimping members in a direction perpendicular to the plane including the axes of said crimping members.

11. In a doubling machine, the combina, tion oftwo crimping members mounted for operating segmental working surfaces, and a bender comprising a blade ada ted to reciprocate between and beyond sai crimping 4 members in a direction perpendicular to the plane including the axes of said crimping members.

12. In a .doubling machine, the combination of two crimpin members mounted for oscillation on paral el axes and having coo erating curved working surfaces and flat s est-receiving surfaces adapted for alinement parallel to the plane including thetaxes of sa1d crimping members, and a bender comprising a blade movable between said crimpin members 1n a direction perpendicular tot e plane including the axes-of .said

. crimping members 13. In a doubling machine, the combination of two cooperating'crimping members mounted for oscillation on vertical axes, a bender comprising a pivotally movable blade adapted to move horizontally between said crimping members, and means for raising said blade to Vertical position before passing between said crimping members, and for causing said blade to assume a horizontal position when removed from said crimping members. 7

14. In a doubling machine, the combina tion of two cooperating crimping members mounted for oscillation on vertical axes, a bender mounted for horizontal reciprocation between said crimping members, said bender comprising a'blade, means for raising said blade to verticalposition while,

moving toward said crimping members and for maintaining said blade in vertical'position while passing between said crimping members, and means for causing said blade to assume a horizontal position after being withdrawn from between said crimping members. 'i 15. In a doubling machine, the combination of two cooperating crimping members mounted for oscillation on vertical axes, and bending mechanism including a horizontal slide, means for reciprocating said slide lengthwise, a'blade pivotally carried by said slide and adapted to reciprocate between said crimping members, means for raisingsaid bladevto vertical position while said slide is advancing toward, said crimping members and for returning said. blade to horizontal position while said bladeis moving-away from said crimping members.

16. In a doubling machine, the combination of twocooperating crimping members mounted for oscillation on vertical axes, and bending mechanism including a horizontal slide, means for reciprocating said slide lengthwise, slide and having a weighted portion tending to hold said blade in horizontal position, and means for engaging the said weighted portion and for raising said blade while the said slide is moving to carry said blade toward said crimping members.

17. In a doubling machine, ,the combination of two crimping members mounted for a blade pivotally carried by said oscillation on vertical axes and having flat vertical sheet-receiving surfaces, pinions carried by said crimping members, a rack slide having teeth engaging both of said pinions, means for reciprocating said rack vertical sheet-receiving surfaces, pinions carried by said crimping members, a rack Slide having teeth engaging both of, said pinions, means for reciprocating said rack slide lengthwise, spring means tendingto hold said rack slide iniposition wherein the said sheet-receivingsurfaces of said crimping members arein almement, a benderslide disposed in a longitudinal slot in said .r'ack slide, a bending blade pivotally carried.

by said bender slide and adapted to, reciprocate between said crimping members, power connections for reciprocating said bender slide lengthwise, and means for causing said rack slide and said bender slide to move in unison during acportion of the movement of said bender slide which withdraws said. bending blade from between said crimping members. r

19. Inla doubling machine, the combination of two crimping members mounted for oscillation on vertical axes and having flatshect 'rece'iving surfaces, pinions carried by said crimping members, a rack slide having teeth engaging both of said pinions, means for reciprocating said rack slide lengthwise,

spring means tending to hold. said rack slide in theposition-wherein the said sheetreceiving surfaces of said crimping members are in alinemen-t, a bender slide disposed in. a longitudinal slot in said rack slide, a bend-' ing Fblade pivotally mountedon said bender I slide and unbalancedso as to normally rest horizontally, said blade having a'portion depending througlr slots in said bender slide and in said rack slide, and stationary means for engaging said depending portion of said blade during the forward movement of said; bender slide, and for thereby raising said bending blade to vertical position, the said depending portion of said blade being adapted,-during the rearward movement of said bender slide, to engage said rack slide and -move said rack slide in unison with said 'ibenderslide. 1 20. In afdoubling machine, the combine. tion of cooperating crimping members mounted for oscillation on vertical axes,

gage arms for raising sheets into vertical position adjacent to said crimping members and other gage arms movable to aline sai sheets horizontally.

2L In.a doubling'machine,'the combination of a doubling table, two cooperating crimping members mounted for operation on 22. In a doubling machine, the combination oat oscillatory crimping members having 7,

cooperating segmental working surfaces, bending means for advancing a sheet between adjacent ends of said segmental surfaces whenin advanced positionto form a fold therein, and means for retractingsaid crimping members about their respectiye' pivots to compress said. fold and to discharge the sheet, the folded edge of the sheet having been advanced a distance less than the length of said segmental surfaces.

In testimony whereof I, the said manor C. STEELE, have hereunto set my hand.

LAWRENCE C. STEELE 

